| AgingINnovation 2026 takes place August 10-13 in Denver

| The global nonprofit AgingIN is hosting a conference next month for leaders and change makers in aging and elder care.

| AgingIN (formerly known as the Center for Innovation) arose from two influential movements in long-term care: Pioneer Network (which aimed to “move elder care to a place where all care and support are person-directed, not system-directed”) and The Green House Project (which supported “radically non-institutional eldercare environments that empower the lives of people who live and work in them.”) We spoke to Susan Ryan, CEO of AgingIN and host of the Elevate Eldercare Podcast.

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What can attendees expect from the new AgingIN Conference? 

We’re leaning into our mission: to be the catalyst for person-directed living and empowered cultures in the community of one’s choice. Our mission is really talking about value. It’s talking about the dignity and worth of people, looking at ageism and saying that’s the root of some of the systemic failures we’re having today. 

Which sessions are you especially excited about?

We have a session called Embracing the Ecosystem of Aging: From Silos to Synergy. It’s about, How do we really form these partnerships? How do we shift our thinking and look at that ecosystem and how the ecosystem is working? I’m also looking forward to the session called How To Close the Gap Between Healthspan and Lifespan via Science, Innovation, and Caring Communities. We have a session on AI for C-suite leaders. We can’t shy away from technology. Typically, senior living can be late adopters, and yes, it is all about the human connection. 

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What character traits and professional skills are important in the sector? 

A few years ago, we had a keynote speaker, Dr. Stephen Trzeciak, who wrote a book called Compassionomics. The leaders that I talk to on my podcast, I’m just amazed at the compassion that drives them to do what they do. And so I unabashedly say it’s one of those qualities that I think a leader needs to have, and the research is there, quantitatively and qualitatively, to show that it makes a difference. Beyond that, another trait I look for is the courage to keep pushing against the status quo that settles for good enough. Resilience and relentlessness are also on the list of traits that are making a difference. 

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What should we know about keynote speaker Manley Feinberg?

This is a man who’s climbed the faces of incredible mountains around the world, a man who spends a night on the face of a wall. His book, Reaching Your Next Summit! is incredible. He calls it “vertical lessons for leaders.” He uses these powerful stories of his harrowing experiences to talk about leadership lessons. 

Is there anything I’m not asking you about the conference and who it’s for? 

We’ve talked about technology. We’ve talked about leadership, but it’s also about how to stabilize and strengthen the workforce. We have a Changemaker Café to encourage those spontaneous, informal opportunities to talk with other change makers and fuel your passion and your vision for where you want to go. We’re better together.